How to Apply Concealer on Wrinkled Eyes

People with wrinkled eyes know the struggle of applying concealer on wrinkled eyes without having it crack or crease. However, with some easy makeup tips, you can make your eyes look amazing with perfectly smooth skin.

In this post, I connected with a few talented makeup artists and asked them to give me their best tips on how to apply concealer on wrinkled eyes.

How To Apply Concealer to Wrinkled Eyes at Home

Claudia Flynn, a professional makeup artist from Yonkers, New York, shares with me that she believes in “less is more” when it comes to makeup application, especially on more mature skin.

According to Claudia, here’s how to apply concealer to wrinkled eyes at home:

First things first – prepping the skin is key to smooth makeup application. Cleanse the skin using a creamy hydrating cleanser (Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Cleanser). Then, apply a hyaluronic sheet mask to the skin for 10-15 mins. You can use a cold jade roller over the sheet mask to reduce redness, help the product penetrate better and reduce any puffiness around the eyes.  I’ve written a guide on what to do after using a sheet mask if you need more details for this step.

Next, apply your moisturizer (without SPF if you’re being photographed) and eye cream followed by a hydrating primer.

The biggest mistake people make with concealer is applying the wrong shade and using the wrong textured concealer. By going too light, the skin can look grey-ish and older. Stick to the same shade or one shade lighter than your natural skin tone. Liquid concealer (Makeup Forever HD Liquid Concealer) is best as it’s more blendable and lighter inconsistency. Cream concealers are too heavy, harder to blend and can sit in the fine lines, accentuating the points you wish to conceal.

Apply a little concealer using your ring finger and gently dab around the eye. Blend the concealer out well. Then apply your foundation over it, making sure both products are blended seamlessly. Using a tiny amount of translucent setting powder (like Ben Nye’s Banana Powder), gently sweep over the eye area, setting concealer in place. The most commonplace for concealer to crease is under the eyes, so gently using your ring fingers, gently smooth the concealer from the outer corner to the inner corner. Throughout the day, spritzing a hydrating makeup setting spray or some Evian water spritzer will refresh the skin and prevent it from looking dried out and cakey.

With mature textured skin, the more product you use, the more caked-on makeup can look. Tinted moisturizers might work better than full coverage foundations depending on the skin condition. Treatments like peels and dermaplaning can smooth, soften and exfoliate the skin, giving a smoother base for your makeup to sit on.

How to Apply Under Eye Concealer For Mature Skin

Stephanie Ivonne, a Licensed Esthetician who serves on the advisory board for Smart Style Today, shares with me her tips for applying undereye concealer for people with mature skin.

According to Stephanie, here’s how to apply under eye concealer for mature skin:

1. Hydration is key! Before your makeup, start by applying your facial moisturizer followed by your serum then your eye cream or eye gel (my favorite type) and let it settle about 15 minutes as you get ready.
2. The use of under-eye primer really smooths things out and even prevents products from settling into every fine line, nook and cranny and should be used next. A small pea-size amount under each eye is all you need as you gently tap using your ring fingers and blend it in avoiding pulling the skin. A trick to use for events (not daily) is applying hemorrhoid cream (I wish I were joking!) under the eyes which will lighten, depuff and tighten allowing for a smooth application.
3. Apply your facial primer followed by your foundation that matches your shade of skin. Don’t have foundation? Check out my guide on how to use primer without foundation.
4. A color corrector is next and is a must to reduce the appearance of skincare concerns including dark areas that usually come with wrinkles and aging. You will work from the inner corner of the eye then carefully towards the outer corner and blend thoroughly.
5. Next, you will get a tissue to blot the area removing any excess product that may cause the concealer to settle in wrinkles and creases. You will then apply your liquid concealer (no more than 1-2 shades lighter) in an upside-down triangle from the inner corners of your eyes to the outers pointing down. Lastly, using a dampened beauty blender tap the concealer
   gently, properly blending it in.

It may take some patience but blending is key to helping the product work its magic leaving you with youthful and radiant results.

How to Stop Concealer From Creasing Under Eyes

Sophia Knapp, a beauty expert at Oxygenetix, shares her tips for stopping concealers from creasing under your eyes. Her tips require a combination of skin-prepping and makeup application techniques.

According to Sophia, here’s how to stop concealer from creasing under eyes:

1. Splash Cold Water – Splashing cold water under your eyes works to pull the delicate surface skin tight and reduce the depth of lines around your eyes. It’s also a great way to wake up and tighten all the pores on your face.
2. Moisturize – Probably the most crucial of all the steps is to properly moisturize around your eyes. Choose products that are safe to apply around the delicate eye area. A good moisturizer will maintain optimal moisture levels in the skin and plump the surface to be smooth for a makeup application. Oxygenetix Hydro-Matrix is a powerful hydrator with natural and medically proven, safe ingredients. Hydro-Matrix works great as a primer for concealer and foundation.
3. Apply Concealer Gently – When applying your concealer, be as gentle as possible. If you use your fingers, use the ring finger as it naturally applies the least amount of pressure. Otherwise use a clean sponge and lightly dab the concealer onto the under-eye area. Avoid applying concealer to crows feet that lie on the outer edges of the eyes. These wrinkles are deeper and tend to collect the product.
4. Avoid Powder – Don’t apply powders to the mature under eyes. The powder will collect inside wrinkle crevices and create a cakey, overdone makeup look. When applying concealer or a good liquid foundation there will be no need anyways.